Hand- and foot-operated sink and lavatory faucet fixture



Apnl 15, 1958 w. J. MITCHELL HAND-AND FOOT-OPERATED SINK AND LAVATORY FAUCET FIXTURE v Filed Dec. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 30 It .1 /2 /o INVENTOR. M William J/Zz'tchell ATTORNEY HAND- AND FilOT-GPERATED SINK AND LAVATGRY FAUCET FlXTURE William J. Mitchell, Mount Morris, Mich.

Application December 10, 1954, Serial No. 474,471

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-599.)

The present invention relates to faucet fixtures of kitchen sinks, lavatory basins, laundry tubs, and the like having both handand foot-operated valves for controlling the flow of both hot and 'coldwater from'fancets.

An object of the invention is to'providea water supply fixture wherein either hand-operated valves or pedaloperated valves admit and shut off the flow of hot and coldwater to a mixing faucetindependent of one another, thus retaining all the advantages of'hand operation and permitting foot operation by a person when his hand are otherwise occupied.

I am aware that attempts have been made to accomplish a similar result by attachingto the handles of normally hand-operated valves various arrangements of links, levers, and cables that' extend downwardly to pedals for foot operation. Structures of such character, because of their unsightly appearance, usually require that the hand-operated valves be placed under the sinks or lavatorieswhere it is inconvenient to reach them for hand operation, and if placed at their customary locations, the connecting structures to their handles interfere with hand operation, with other chores conducted at sinks and lavatories, and with efficient and sanitary cleaning around same.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in addition to a customary hot and cold water mixing faucet having a single discharge nozzle and separate hot and cold water hand-operated valves, a pair of pedal-operated valves, one being connected to the hot water supply pipe and the other to the cold water supply pipe and both bypassing the hand-operated'hot and cold water valves of the faucet-and being connected to the faucet at its mixing chamber.

States Patent tight-sealed to a table top 12'of a-sink-supporting cabinet" A further object of the-inventionis to provide, in'a thereoffort apair of hot water'supply pipesiandi axpair' ofcold water supply pipes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a fixture of the above character, a faucet having a': water mixing manifold. with pipe; connectionsiforasingle hot water supply pipeand a-singler-coldtwater supplypipe and having passages therein whereby eitherof a pair of hot-water valvescan' be operatedfto bypass the" other in' thesupply. of hotwater-through; the manifold, said :manifold also having other passagestherein whereby either of a pair of hot water-valves can be" operated to bypass the;other in the supply of ,cold waterthrough the manifold; t Itis also an object of the invention ;to-pro,vide;a tfixture 051118 characterindicated above :which is simple :and, sub-, stantial? in construction;' easily accessible for 1 assembly and supporting cabinet therefor, showing the improved fixture in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of theimproved fixture; Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the improvements applied to a type ofmixing manifoldthat rests upon a sink flange, and showing some parts in elevation;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the improvements applied to a type of mixiug manifold sup= ported beneath a sink flange; and

Figure 5 is also a similar sectional view showing a modified form of the invention wherein all valve housings and valve seats are part of the construction of the mixing manifold.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate similar partsthroughout the various views, there is indicated by the numeral 10 in Figure 1, a sink having the usual flange 11 extending therearound which rests upon and is water- 13. The flange-11 at the rear of the sink normallyis provided with three holes 14, 15, and16therein through which extend depending nipples 17, 1S, and 19,- respectively, on a mixing faucet 29, shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The faucet 20i-s of 'a type in which the mixing manifold 21 thereof is located above the sink flange H and said manifold is enclosed by a hood 22 clampedby; said faucet in engagement with said flange. upon the end nipples 17 and 19 are the usual pipe couplings which in turn are connected to the hot and cold water supply pipes 23 and 24, respectively, while threadably connected into the center nipple 18 is a fitting 25 to which a hose zo with aspray nozzle 27 thereon is attached.

Mounted on the upper Wall of the mixing manifold 21- directly above the nipples 17" and 19 are hand operated valves 28 and 29 with the seats therefor at locationswhere the openingsthrough the nipples communicatewitli the mixing chamber for controlling theentrance of hot andcold water into the mixing manif'oldf Also mounted on" the upper wall of the mixing 'chamber and directly above the central nipple 25 is a-swing spout 3tl with the usual construction (not shown) and connection to the opening in the nipple 25 for closing off the fiowof water to the spout 30 during operation of the spray nozzle 27.

The improved construction formingthe subject of the' present inventionincludes theprovision of two additional openings 3% and 31 through the flange orledge 11 of'the sink 10 at locations approximately midway between openings 17 and E8 and openings ltland 19; respectively, for permittinginternally threaded'nipples 32 and33'communicating with the mixing chamber to extend downwardly through said flange or ledge. Threaded in the nipples 32 and 33= are-r ends-10f couplings 34 and 35* to which are attached theupper endsof pliable copper pipes. 36 and 37. The pipesfio and-37 extend downwardly; in rear ofthe sink 10 to locations slightly below the 1 sinlc where they are. connected to foot-operated valves 38Eand: 39, respectively, which are providedwithLTbranches that connect onto the'hot and cold watensupplypipes zia aud' ZQ- tapping water from said supply pipes;

The valves 38 and-39 are at the same elevation and-are, in spaced parallel relationto one another with therstems: or-spindles 40 and 41' thereof projecting forwardly under the sink for"convenient:access.:thereto.-. Instead? of having Patented Apr. 15, 1958 Threaded" directions to open and close (not shown).

handles on the spindles 40 and 41, segments of pulleys 42 and 43 are provided over which the upper end portions of cables 44 and 45 are entrained prior to connections with said segments. The valves 38 and 39 are of different construction in that they are turned in opposite Extending downwardly from the pulley segments 40 and 41 are arms 46'and ,47, respectively, to which are attached the opposite ends of a contractile spiral spring 48 for closing .and yieldably holding closed the valves 38 and 39 upon the lack of tension on the cables 44 and 45.

Below the pulley segments 42 and 43 and supported on the floor of the cabinet are pulleys 49 (one shown) under which are entrained the cables prior to their attachment to foot pedal mechanisms 50 (one shown) also supported on the floor and projecting outward of the cabinet 13.

With the above-described construction, the opening of either a hand-operated valve or a foot-operated valve that is supplied with water from the same line permits the flow of water to by-pass the other of said valves in said line and to enter the common mixing chamber. Therefore, should the hands of a person be otherwise occupied, water may be dispensed from the spout 30 by operation of either or both foot pedals 50 according to the desired temperature of the water. Further, should either or both hand- ,operated valves be open and a change of temperature in the water is momentarily desired, such can be accomplished by a short operation of proper foot valve (hot or cold) without disturbing the temperature adjustment of the hand valves.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, there is shown a type of mixing faucet having the mixing manifold 21 thereof supported beneath a flange or ledgell of a sink by having upstanding tubular projections 52 and 53 on said manifold clamped to said flange. The tubular projections 52 and 53, which are located at opposite ends of the manifold 21, extend upwardly through openings 14 and 16 in the flange 11 and have threaded thereon nuts 54 and 55 that bear against opposite sides of said flange. 'Ihreadably supported in the tubular projections 52 and 53 and extending above the flange 11 are hand-operated valve structures 56 and 57, respectively, that engage valve seats at locations where openings in depending nipples 17 and 19 communicate with the interior of the manifold 21*. To the depending nipples 17 and 19 are connected hot and cold water supply pipes 23 and 24*, respectively. An upstanding intermediate tubular extension 58 also projects through an opening in the sink flange 11 and has connected thereto a swing spout while directly beneath the extension 58 and depending from the manifold 51 is a nipple 18 to which is connected the hose 26 of a spray nozzle.

Like the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, this form of the invention has the manifold 21 provided with internally threaded nipples 32 and 33 communicating with the mixing chamber and receiving therein couplings 34 and 35 on the upper ends of pliable copper pipes 36 and 37*. As the construction whereby the pipes 36 and 37 are connected to foot-operated valves which in turn are connected to the supply pipes 23 and 24- is the same as that previously illustrated and described, this portion of the construction has been omitted from Figure 4. The operation of this form of invention is identical to that previously described.

In Figure 5, there is shown still another form of the invention which is similar to that shown in Figure 4 except for the fact that the housings and seats of the foot-operated valves and the water passages leading to said valves and from said valves to the mixing chamber are constructed as parts of the same casting as that which includes the mixing manifold, upstanding tubular projections, and depending nipples. Because of the similarity of certain parts, the description of this form of the in- --.vention will be directed to structural differences only.

Extending downwardly from and communicating with the interior of the manifold 21 are four passageways 60, 61, 62, and 63 at locations substantially the same as that of the depending nipples 17 32 33, and 19*, respectively, shown in Figure 4. The passageways 60 and 61 are connected by a cross passageway 64 intermediate their ends, while the passageways 62 and 63 are likewise connected by a passageway 65. Connected to the casting at the lower ends of the passageways 60 and 63 are hot and cold water supply pipes 23 and 24*, respectively, while threaded into the lower ends of the passageways 61 and 62 are foot-operated valve structures 38'" and 39 respectively. In the passageways 61 and 62 above the locations where the cross passageways 64 and 65 communicate therewith are provided valve seats 66 and 67 which are engaged and disengaged by the valve structures 38 and 39 On the depending ends of valve spindles 40 and 41 are secured pulley segments 42 and 43 with laterally extending arms 46 and 47 thereon to which are attached the end of a spring 48". Secured to and'entrained over the pulley segments are cables 44 and for turning the spindles 40 and 41 to open the valves, while the spring 48 closes the valves when tension on the cables is relieved. Because of the difference of arrangement of the valves in this form of the invention, it is necessary that additional pulleys 68 and 69 be used in extending the cables downwardly where they are operated by foot pedals (not shown).

When hand-operated valves 56 and 57 are opened and the foot-operated valves 38 and 39 are closed, water from the hot-and cold water supply pipes flows through the passageways 60 and 63 and into the interior of the mixing manifold 21 from. where it is dispensed either through the swing spout 30 or spray hose 26 When the foot-operated valves 38 and 39 are opened, water from the supply pipes 23 and 24 by-passes the handoperated valves 56 and 57 and flows through the cross passageways 64 and 65 into the passageways 61 and 62 and then into the interior of the mixing manifold 21 from which it is dispensed either through the spout or spray hose.

By arranging the foot-operated valves vertically with the spindle ends extending downwardly, access to said valves which are located in rear of the sink can be gained for conveniently adjusting or removing the valve structures 38 and 39 to replace washers therein or for other repairs or replacement of parts thereto. Further, a construction of this character will require no more space than that now required between the rear wall of the sink and rear wall of the cabinet supporting the sink, which in some cases is rather restricted.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation, and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

his to be understood, however, that even though there are herein shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and full intendment of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A water dispensing system comprising a mixing faucet having a one-piece body including a horizontally elongated mixing chamber, a pair of vertical passageways communicating with said mixing chamber adjacent each end of said chamber, a valve seat in each of said vertical passageways, and cross passageways communicating the pair of vertical passageways adjacent each end of said chamber, said cross pasageways being upstream of said valve seats; a pair of upstanding hand-operated valve structures mounted on said body, each hand-operated valve structure being located at the upper end of one 5 vertical passageway of each pair of vertical passageways and being adapted to engage the valve seat therein; a pair of depending foot-operated valve structures carried by said body, each foot-operated valvebeing located at the lower end of the other vertical passageway of each pair of vertical passageways and being adapted to engage the valve seat therein; a hot water supply pipe connected to said body and communicating through one of said cross passageways with one pair of vertical passageways adjacent one end of said body; a cold water supply pipe also connected to said body and communicating through the other cross passageway with the other pair of vertical passageways adjacent the opposite end of said body; independent actuating means for each of said foot-operated valve structures; and a spout on said body and communicating with said mixing chamber.

2. A water dispensing system as defined in claim 1 wherein said foot-operated valve structures are closely associated and operated by rotary motion of the stems thereof in opposite directions to either open or close both valves, and wherein there are provided lever arms secured to the stems of said foot-operated valve structures that extend in the same general direction from said stems when said valves are closed, and a single contractile spiral spring connected at its opposite ends to the free ends of said lever arms for returning said foot-operated valve structures to closed positions after operation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,176,784 Speiden Mar. 28, 1916 1,807,900 Dougherty June 2, 1931 1,848,456 Beebe Mar. 8, 1932 1,853,154 Snyder Apr. 12, 1932 2,264,876 Hackley Dec. 2, 1941 

